# Cluster vs Instrumental Giving

The clearest difference is rating: Cluster at 4.8 against Instrumental Giving's 4.2. Cluster also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 5) and device support (4 vs 2). Instrumental Giving's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cluster sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Instrumental Giving asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cluster holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cluster has 22K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Cluster's written reviews are positive against 50% of Instrumental Giving's.

Cluster ships an update every 3 weeks, Instrumental Giving every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cluster | Instrumental Giving |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrumental-giving/id6742022087/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **56.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 37 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Cluster Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/596595035) | [Formula, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1796376855) |

## What reviewers say

### Cluster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032)

Create private groups to share photos and videos with specific people. Ideal for families, friends, or colleagues to share moments securely without broadcasting to a wider audience. Access your shared memories across mobile devices and the web.

**Highlights:** Create private sharing groups, Share photos and videos, Invite specific members, Web and mobile access, Relevant notifications, Secure and private sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cluster Friend | $4.99 | per month |
| Cluster Family | $9.99 | per month |
| Cluster Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Cluster Friend | $49.99 | per year |
| Cluster Family | $99.99 | per year |
| Cluster Pro | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great for sharing photos and videos
- 🔒 Allows private sharing with selected groups
- 💡 Helpful for keeping family connected
- 👍 Simple and effective interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Issues with photo/video uploads
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🔍 Lack of search and organization features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Photos and videos fail to upload consistently
- Notification issues - not receiving updates
- Compatibility problems with newer Android devices
- Unexpected errors when trying to access accounts

**Requested features**

- Add ability to edit/delete posts
- Improve photo/video upload reliability
- Implement better notification system
- Add option to create galleries/albums within groups
- Enhance search and filtering capabilities


### Instrumental Giving

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrumental-giving/id6742022087)

This app connects musicians who lost instruments and gear in fires with donors. Verified musicians can request items, and donors can browse requests or offer items. It facilitates direct communication and provides a way to get donation receipts.

**Highlights:** Connects donors and musicians, Verified musician profiles, Create 'Help Requests' for items, Browse 'Help Offers' from donors, Direct in-app chat, Taxable donation receipts

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cluster free?

Cluster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Instrumental Giving free?

Instrumental Giving is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cluster or Instrumental Giving?

Cluster is rated higher. Cluster averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Instrumental Giving averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Cluster or Instrumental Giving have ads?

Neither Cluster nor Instrumental Giving shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cluster or Instrumental Giving?

Cluster ships an update every 3 weeks, and Instrumental Giving every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cluster was updated on October 28, 2026 and Instrumental Giving on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*